Burglary Suspects Arrested by Lawrence Detectives

A man who was released from state prison last year after spending more than a decade in custody in connection with his role in the killing of a woman in Trenton is one of two suspects recently arrested by Lawrence Township detectives investigating .

Terrance J. Patterson, 36, of the 800 block of Southard Street, Trenton, and Harper Williams Jr., 49, of the 300 block of Mulberry Street, Trenton, were arrested in Hamilton Township, according to Lawrence Township police spokesman Lt. Mark Ubry, who noted that township detectives were assisted by Hamilton Township police.

Patterson and Williams were each charged with receiving stolen property as a result of their allegedly being found with items reported to have been stolen during the burglaries, Ubry said. Lawrence Township police anticipate filing additional charges against the pair, he said, adding that the two have been identified as suspects in similar crimes in Hamilton.

Some of the crimes for which Patterson and Williams are considered suspects by Lawrence police are the thefts of tools from: the Hub Leasing Inc. property in the 2800 block of Route 1; the CM Worrall Inc. property in the 2600 block of Business Route 1; a contractor’s vehicle parked outside the Comfort Inn in the 3200 block of Route 1; and a pickup truck belonging to an employee of Superior Chevrolet on Renaissance Boulevard.

Ubry said Harper’s vehicle was impounded by police at the time of his arrest.

The investigation is being continued by Lawrence Township Detectives Kevin Reading Jr., James Smith, Robert Potter and Dave Dalle Pazze and Detective Sgt. Joseph Amodio. Anyone with information about the crimes is asked to call police at (609) 896-1111.

According to published news accounts, Patterson was one of four men who approached two women to ask for marijuana in Lamberton Street Park in Trenton in June 1999 but then beat and robbed the women of their purses. When one of the women, 18-year-old Rakeache Denard, tried to run away, she was fatally shot in the back.

The shooter, Tyrone Davis, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter, while Patterson and the two other men pleaded guilty to robbery as part of a deal made with prosecutors, according to published accounts. Other charges against Patterson and the others – including homicide – were dropped as part of that plea agreement.

State Department of Corrections records show that Patterson was sentenced in February 2003 to a maximum of 14 years but, with time previously served while in Mercer County custody, was released from state prison in May 2011 after serving the mandatory minimum sentence of 11 years, 10 months, and 22 days.

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